Coming Home
by CharmStone127
Summary: When James and Lily Potter died, Isabelle lost all her best friends, including the man she loved. Now, 12 years later, the one she loved has escaped Azkaban. Could he be coming home after all these years?  summary sucks, story will be better
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it belongs to the awesome JK Rowling. Anything else is all mine :)_**

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><p><em>BLACK ESCAPES<em>

Thirty-three year old Isabelle Brooke grabbed the latest issue of the _Daily Prophet_ from the leg of the large tawny owl, quickly slipping a few knuts into the pouch attached to its other leg. For once, she didn't even bother to watch him leave as she unfolded the paper. She swallowed hard as a large photography blinked up at her. The face was so familiar, and yet so unfamiliar at the same time. There was no doubt it was him, but Azkaban had done him no favours. His hair was longer than it had been before and was now matted; his face was gaunt and sunken; his skin pale from the lack of sunlight; and his grey eyes were dark with rage, the only part of him that had any life left. Forcing her eyes away from his, she read the article.

_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, escaped from the prison last night. Undoubtedly it is dark magic that enabled him to make this escape, for it has never been managed before.  
>"We already have a large group of Dementors out searching for Black," said the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, in the early hours of this morning, just after the empty cell was discovered. "The Aurors will be joining them later on, and we hope to recapture Black very soon."<br>Meanwhile, he urges the magical community to remain calm. Whilst he admits that Black is mad and a danger to anyone who crosses him, Fudge believes that it is far more likely Black will go into hiding than attempt a massacre so soon after his escape._

Unable to read any more, Isabelle growled at the paper, furiously screwing it up into a ball which she proceeded to throw to the other side of the room, where it landed perfectly in the bin. Whilst this feat may seem impressive to anyone else, to Isabelle it was nothing out of the ordinary; she had been one of Gryffindor's best chasers back when she had attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she had not been short of offers to play professionally after she left school, but she had declined them all in favour of becoming an Auror.

She sighed again as her thoughts drifted back to her school days. Life had been so simple then, when all you had to worry about was completing your homework on time. Or, in the case of her and her best friend, Lily Evans, persuading the rebellious boys known as the Marauders to complete their homework on time! She laughed softly to herself at the memories, vividly remembering the six of them sat in the Gryffindor common room around the fireplace with their books spread out in front of them, Lily and Isabelle with quills in their hands, James Potter with a tiny golden snitch in his, and the other three watching James intently, laughing.

"Come on James!" Lily Evans rolled her emerald green eyes as James caught the snitch yet again. "You know McGonagall won't let you off for not doing your homework!"  
>James' own hazel eyes twinkled cheekily as he glanced over at the pretty red-head.<br>"Well, let me know when you've finished and I'll copy off of you." He grinned as Lily shook her head, trying hard not to let the amusement show in her eyes, but failing terribly.  
>"James! You're not supposed to let her know you're only dating her for her brains!" the boy sitting next to James laughed, the others joining in.<br>"Shush Sirius! It's meant to be a secret!" James retorted, once they had stopped laughing, lowering his voice to a dramatic stage whisper. Once more, the small group started to laugh. Sirius' eyes met Isabelle's across the table and she blushed ever so slightly before looking away.

She glanced out of the window as her thoughts returned to the present, her mouth now set in a sad smile. She and Sirius had started dating just a few months later, and they had been together ever since. But she had not seen him for twelve years. She remembered so clearly the day she was called to see her boss in his office…

"Ah, Miss Brooke. Take a seat." Alastor Moody gestured to the chair opposite his as she entered his office. She did as she was told, still not sure why she had been sent for. Moody was silent for a moment, his glass eye moving to look at the door, checking that no one was listening in. Content that they had complete privacy, he moved his eye back to Isabelle, who shifted somewhat uncomfortably under its gaze, before getting straight to the point. "I'm afraid, Miss Brooke, that earlier today, Sirius Black was caught and taken to Azkaban, having killed several Muggles, and Peter Petti…"  
>"No!" She stood up, not even noticing the chair she had been sitting on fall to the floor with a clatter.<br>"Miss Brooke…"  
>"No! Sirius would not do that!"<br>"Miss Brooke, I understand you're upset…"  
>"Upset? Upset! Sirius is innocent, I tell you!"<br>"Miss Brooke, we have witnesses. Pettigrew cornered Black, sobbing and asking him how he could betray the Potters to…"  
>"What?" She had thought it impossible to be any angrier than she already was, but she was proven very wrong in that moment. "Sirius betray Lily and James? Peter was their Secret-Keeper! It's his fault their dead! It's him who betrayed them!"<br>"Miss Brooke, please!" Moody was raising his voice now, although a soft lilt remained to it as he attempted to calm the enraged woman before him, her brown eyes darkening dangerously. She was silent for a while, breathing heavily as she glared at her boss.  
>"I need to see him." She said, suddenly.<br>"I thought that may come up." Moody sighed. "I am afraid…"  
>"Please, Alastor." Her voice broke ever so slightly, and it was at that moment that Alastor Moody truly realised just how much she had lost over the past forty-eight hours. Reluctantly, he nodded.<br>"I shall escort you there." He rose to his feet and the two silently disapparated.

Sirius had been sat in the corner of a cell, his grey eyes held no trace of the cheeky twinkle that was so much a part of him. Now, they were dark and filled with a thousand silent emotions.  
>"Sirius…" Isabelle's soft whisper carried across to him and he looked over. Slowly, he climbed to his feet and made his way to the cell gate as Isabelle did the same. Alastor Moody stayed where he was, allowing the couple their privacy.<br>"Isabelle." Sirius shook his head sadly. "It wasn't me. I…"  
>"I know." She interrupted him. "I know, Sirius." She reached one hand through the bars of the cell, taking hold of one of his and gripping it tightly. They stayed that way for a long time, each trying to forget the recent happenings. Eventually, Moody came over and placed a hand on Isabelle's shoulder, gently telling her that it was time to go. She swallowed hard as she gave Sirius' hand a final squeeze. "I'm going to do everything I can to get you out of here." She whispered, her lip quivering as she fought back the tears that threatened. "I love you."<br>"As do I. Always."  
>Their hands parted as Moody led Isabelle away, apparating them both back to the Ministry. Isabelle took several deep breaths before nodding a silent thank you to her boss and leaving his office, ignoring the whispers of her colleagues as she went back to her own. Closing the door behind her, she slid down it and, at last, the tears fell.<p>

The present day Isabelle blinked her eyes as she felt them grow moist at remembering the last time she had seen Sirius. She had kept to her word, constantly pleading his innocence, but no one had believed her. _"Of course you think that, he was your fiancée"_ they would say. No matter what she did, her attempts to free Sirius were futile, but she never gave up hope that one day, someone would believe her. Taking deep breaths to regain her composure, she checked her appearance in the mirror, smoothing down a piece of her dark brown hair before leaving her house and apparating to the Ministry.

As she walked through the corridor towards her office, she ignored the whispers of her colleagues and the glances they were sneaking at her when they thought she wasn't looking, instead holding her head high. She knew Sirius was innocent, and she would not let their pathetic little mutterings get to her. Still, it was a relief when she stepped into her office and closed the door behind her. Her office was nothing out of the ordinary really; a desk, with a pile of paperwork on top, stood near the back wall with a chair on each side and a filing cabinet stood in the corner. In fact, the only thing that made it clear this was not a Muggle office was the fireplace in the wall opposite her desk. It was rarely used, though. She preferred to walk to work rather than floo, and so it was only used to communicate with other people.

Sinking into her chair, she began to sort through the pile of paperwork. She was halfway through when there was a knock at her door. Still focussing on the paper in front of her, she called for the person to enter.  
>"Are you OK Isabelle?"<br>She was silent for a long moment. At last, she sighed, put down her quill, and leaned back in her chair, looking up into the concerned face of Kingsley Shacklebolt.  
>"Is it strange that I don't even know how I feel, Kingsley?" she asked quietly. Her colleague gave her a sympathetic smile.<br>"Not at all. On the contrary, I believe it would be strange if you _did_ know how you feel." His deep voice was comforting. No matter what had happened, he always sounded so calm, and Isabelle was glad of that now. He did not push her for a response, something else she was glad of. Instead, he simply stood by the closed door as she stared blankly into nothingness. A few minutes passed in comfortable silence before he spoke again.  
>"I believe Fudge has called a meeting of the Aurors." Isabelle looked up at the softly spoken words, meeting Kingsley's dark brown eyes, and sighed. Wishing she had an excuse to not go, she stood up and joined Kingsley at the door, offering a weak, almost defeated smile before leaving her office and walking towards the main meeting hall, Kingsley at her side.<p>

"As you will all no doubt have heard, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban last night." Cornelius Fudge's voice echoed around the room. "The Dementors have been searching all night, and you are all to join the search." He paused, his eyes sweeping across the room, seeming to meet everyone's eyes. "I have spent the night deciding where each pair of Aurors will patrol. You will be patrolling these areas until Black is caught, or until further notice." Isabelle glanced at Kingsley as Fudge started to allocate the locations. They were partners within the Auror department, and she was more grateful now than ever before for this pairing; she knew that Kingsley would not spend the day questioning her or making ridiculous comments about Sirius like many of the others would have done. She turned her attention back to Fudge as she heard him call her name.  
>"Brooke and Shacklebolt: Diagon Alley."<p>

As she suspected, there was no sign of Sirius in Diagon Alley. She was pleased that they had been allocated this area, however. Whilst she knew that there was no chance she would see Sirius there, it was somewhat therapeutic to watch parents and children hurry around in an attempt to purchase all the necessary books and equipment for a new term at Hogwarts. It also gave her great pleasure to see a crowd of enthusiastic witches and wizards staring at a new broom in _Quality Quidditch Supplies_. Despite the circumstances that had brought her here, she grinned. She may have stopped playing Quidditch a long time ago, but she still appreciated the brooms, and this one, the Firebolt, was clearly superior to any other brooms currently sold. She didn't even need to read the sign, not that she could get near enough to do so anyway, to know that it was something special, no doubt with a hefty price tag attached to it!

It was nearing midnight when she finally arrived home. She and Kingsley had looked everywhere imaginable for some sign of Sirius but to no avail. As it grew dark, and the streets emptied, they had returned back to the office and immediately been summoned to another meeting with Fudge. As it turned out, they were not the only ones who had been unsuccessful in their search; Isabelle had to try incredibly hard to hide her relief that Sirius had, so far, evaded capture. At long last, they had been dismissed, with the reminder that they were to patrol the same areas first thing tomorrow.

As she walked up the path to her front door, too tired to apparate, her eyes were half closed with tiredness. Reaching the door, she cast a glance over her shoulder, having had 'constant vigilance' drilled into her by Alastor Moody throughout her Auror training this had become second nature to her. As she turned her attention back to the door, however, she did a double take. Her eyes were wide open now as she stared into the shadows, and yet she saw nothing but darkness. Shaking her head at herself, she opened the door and entered her house, shutting out the darkness. It was only wishful thinking, she told herself. And yet, as she walked up the stairs towards her room, she could not rid the image of a large, black dog watching her from the shadows.

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><p><em><strong>Hope you like it so far, I am really trying to get my descriptions better as that is the one thing that has always let me down with my writing so hopefully this isn't too bad and I will improved throughout the story... Let me know what you think with a lovely review if you can spare the time :) ~CharmStone127<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** Sorry it took so long to get this up, really didn't want to write itself :/ But it's here now, and hopefully the next one will be easier to write... fingers crossed!  
>Please read and review guys, reviews make me happy :) xxx<p>

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><p>The days that followed were much the same as each other. Every morning, the <em>Daily Prophet<em> would be filled with some new story about Sirius and Isabelle would immediately throw it to one side, uninterested in anything Rita Skeeter had to say. She would then leave her house and apparate to Diagon Alley where she would meet Kingsley so they could patrol the area. It was tiresome work, especially when you knew, as Isabelle did, that the man you were looking for would not be stupid enough to make an appearance in such a public place. Still, she didn't complain; at least being out on patrol meant she was spared from having to walk through the Ministry building whilst ignoring glances her colleagues would give her whilst they whispered to each other about her.

It was about a week after they had started their patrol of Diagon Alley. Isabelle and Kingsley were walking through the cobbled streets when Isabelle suddenly stopped as they passed Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. Sitting outside at a table, with a half-eaten sundae and writing what was no doubt a homework essay, was James. _No, not James_, she reminded herself, _Harry_. The boy, who she had not laid eyes on for twelve years, had an uncanny resemblance to his father. As she watched him, she remembered the last time she had seen him, when Hagrid had taken him away from Godric's Hollow, at Dumbledore's orders, to live with Petunia and her husband. Dumbledore had later explained to her about the blood protection needed, but part of her still wished she could have raised the boy herself, just as she and Sirius had promised James and Lily that they would. However, a much bigger part of her knew that, at the time, she had been unfit to fulfil her role as Godmother; she had shut herself away from everyone for quite some time, only speaking when absolutely necessary at work. Then again, maybe having a child to look after would have snapped her out of her depression quicker… Still, there was no use wondering what could have been.

Kingsley had continued to walk a short distance before he realised that his partner had stopped. Turning, he followed her gaze and saw the boy, smiling slightly as he did so.  
>"At least we know he is safe from Black." He muttered, returning to Isabelle's side. He didn't notice the way her jaw tensed as he spoke those words. She knew Sirius would never harm Harry, knew that he would die rather than let anything happen to the boy, just as she would.<br>"But why is he here?" She eventually spoke, deliberately not giving any direct response to Kingsley's statement. Her colleague frowned.  
>"You did not hear?" He asked, and Isabelle shook her head. "It appears that he had a slight mishap with some accidental magic yesterday, something about blowing up his Uncle's sister, I believe."<br>She glanced from Harry, to Kingsley, and back again, a frown crossing her face. At Harry's age, accidental magic would only occur when one experienced particularly strong feelings of anger towards another, so that must mean that those Muggles…

Her thoughts were interrupted as Kingsley gently nudged her arm, having seen her eyes darkening. Seeing her friend's concerned face, she forced away the frown and replaced it with what she hoped was a convincing smile.  
>"Shall we carry on?" she asked, starting to walk again without waiting for an answer. Kingsley followed, and, to her relief, said no more about Harry. Isabelle cast a last glance at the boy over her shoulder as she left, suddenly finding herself wondering why he was alone. It was the summer holidays, so where were his friends?<p>

In the days that followed, Harry continued to be alone whenever Isabelle saw him. Sometimes he would be wandering around the shops, occasionally stopping to talk with some people Isabelle assumed were his classmates, but mostly he was sitting outside the Ice-Cream Parlour, working. It was not until the last day of the holidays that Isabelle finally saw him with a red-headed boy and a girl with bushy brown hair. She could not help the smile that settled on her face, or the relief that she felt as she saw him laughing with his friends.

The day drew to a close and Diagon Alley grew quieter until it was only Isabelle and Kingsley left. Usually, this was the time when they were allowed to go home, having made sure that the place was empty. Tonight, however, they had been summoned to a meeting at the Ministry.

Cornelius Fudge was standing at the front of the meeting hall, facing the Aurors. He had thanked them for their hard work patrolling various places over the summer, but he voiced concern that Sirius was still evading capture.  
>"With the students returning to Hogwarts tomorrow, their safety must be our priority. After all, it is one of them that Black is after."<br>Isabelle fought the frown that tried to cover her face, knowing that she could not be seen to question the Minister.  
>"Albus Dumbledore has refused to allow the Dementors to enter the school grounds, and so I request that two senior Aurors will patrol the castle and the grounds during the evenings." His gaze roamed through the crowds, eventually settling on Kingsley and Isabelle. "Brooke and Shacklebolt, I trust you both to do everything you can to ensure the safety of the students and their professors." The pair nodded, and Fudge turned his attention to organising more Aurors to take over the patrol of Diagon Alley, now that Isabelle and Kingsley were to be stationed elsewhere.<p>

"It makes sense to have us patrolling within the grounds." Kinglsey mused as the two sat in Isabelle's living room, each with a mug of hot chocolate. The young woman nodded in agreement.  
>"Yes, and I have to say that I completely agree with Dumbledore about not wanting the Dementors to enter the grounds."<br>"As do I. The students do not need to feel the horror of having all happiness sucked from them."  
>"Indeed. That is not an experience anyone outside of Azkaban should have to endure, let alone children." Isabelle shivered as she once again remembered her visit to Azkaban the day she had been told of Sirius' arrest. Nothing could compare to the misery that place held. Even the innocent would lose their minds there; for most, that innocence was a happy thought that the Dementors sucked out from them. She felt her eyes grow moist as she realised that, if she ever saw Sirius again, he would probably not be the man she remembered.<p>

"I had better be getting home." Kingsley's deep voice drew her from her thoughts.  
>"Yes, yes, of course." Isabelle said, hastily blinking back the tears that had formed. She forced a smile as her friend looked at her, concern clearly evident in his expression. "I'll see you tomorrow evening?" He did not look convinced that she was ok, but he did not voice his concern, knowing that she would never admit to any sort of weakness.<br>"Yes, Fudge said to arrive just before the Express so we can check that no one gets off who shouldn't."  
>"Yes." Isabelle rolled her eyes. "I don't really think anyone could sneak onto that train without being noticed, though." The pair laughed, remembering all too well how busy the Hogwarts Express was.<br>"Ah, but it is a precaution. And the parents will be glad to know that their children are being protected."  
>"Yes."<p>

They had reached the door now, and Isabelle opened it to let Kingsley out. They bid each other goodnight, before Kingsley walked outside into the night air. The familiar crack told Isabelle that he had disapparated, but her eyes were not watching him as he left. Instead, they were focussed on the shadows. Once more, she was sure she could see a large black dog, but in the time it took for her to step out of her house and shut the door behind her, whatever had been there, whether real or a figment of her imagination, was gone. Sighing, she turned and opened the door, casting one last, longing glance over her shoulder as she walked back into the warmth of her house.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N **Not really happy with this chapter, but it just didn't want to write itself. Have the next chapter written and I do rather like that one so will probably update soon. Reviews mean faster updates :p So R&R guys :)

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><p>As she closed the door behind her, a hoot sounded around the empty room, and her attention turned to find the source. Sitting on her desk was an owl, a letter tied to his leg. She tensed when she saw the familiar handwriting on the front of the envelope; they had not contacted each other since shortly after Sirius was arrested. Taking a deep breath, she opened the envelope and removed the letter.<p>

_Isabelle,_

_I heard today that you are to be patrolling the grounds of Hogwarts during the school year, as Dumbledore rightfully will not allow the Dementors to enter the grounds. I guess I'll be seeing you soon if that is so, as I have been employed as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. _

_I guess, if you are patrolling the grounds, you are aware Sirius escaped Azkaban. I still can't believe what he did. I hope you find and recapture him soon, for Harry's sake._

_See you soon,_

_Remus_

As she read, Isabelle shook her head slightly. It was all… so formal. Granted, they had not had any contact for almost 12 years, but surely all their years of friendship prior to that counted for something? Then again, obviously not as he clearly still believed that Sirius was guilty. She had been disgusted as she reached that part of the letter; even if he was still stupid enough to believe Sirius was a traitor, he could have at least been a little more sensitive in his approach to mentioning it considering he knew how Isabelle felt about it all.

Sighing, she grabbed a quill and a new piece of parchment and wrote what she felt she could say in a letter.

_Remus,_

_Yes that is correct._

She was determined to be just as formal as he had been; if he was going to act as though they had never been more than acquaintances, then she would too.

_Congratulations on the new job. I am sure you will do well._

_Yes, I am fully aware that Sirius escaped Azkaban and I have been patrolling Diagon Alley this summer. We have not sighted him. Might I also remind you that there is a perfectly good reason why you can't believe what he did, and I am sure you remember what that is. _

She couldn't even bring herself to write a response to what he had said about recapturing Sirius for Harry's sake. How could he think Sirius would ever harm that boy? Shaking her head again, she signed off the letter and put it in an envelope, which she addressed before sending off with the owl who had brought the letter from Remus. She watched him fly off until she could no longer imagine she could see him, and at last she dropped her gaze from the sky. She was about to turn back around, when she saw once more a large black dog hidden in the shadows. She stared, and the dog stared back. Neither seemed to want to look away. _Could it be…? _As quickly as she could, she went to her front door and out into the garden, but when she reached the spot where the dog should have been, there was no sign of him. She sighed sadly.  
>"You're going mad, Isabelle." She told herself as she walked back inside, casting glances over her shoulder in the hope that she would see the dog again, and that it wasn't just her imagination.<p>

Early the next morning, Isabelle woke up and got ready for work before apparating to the Auror Headquarters at the Ministry. She met Kingsley in his office and, after a quick greeting, the two walked in comfortable silence to Scrimgeour's office and knocked on the door.  
>"Enter." He called, and they did.<p>

The first thing Isabelle noticed was how similar the office was to her own. It had the same basic layout, but it was much larger and there were far more files than she had in her own office.  
>"Ah, Brooke, Shacklebolt. Please, take a seat." The Head Auror indicated two seats opposite his desk.<br>"Thank you for coming in so early." Scrimgeour said as soon as they had sat down, although his serious, business-like tone of voice held very little gratitude. Still, anyone who knew Scrimgeour was more than used to this, and so neither herself nor Kingsley really noticed. "As you are aware the students are returning to Hogwarts today and therefore yesterday was your last day of patrolling Diagon Alley."  
>Both senior Aurors nodded, and their boss continued.<br>"Initially I requested for you both to simply arrive in Hogsmeade shortly before the train is due to arrive, however I have rethought this plan and feel that it would be safer for you to be present throughout the journey." He paused for a moment, before continuing. "The Hogwarts Express will be leaving Kings Cross at eleven o'clock, as usual. You will both be on Platform 9 ¾ to patrol whilst everyone boards the train. Once the train has departed, you will follow it from the air. Upon your arrival at Hogsmeade, you will make sure that the students all get off the train safely, and then you will follow them up in the carriage which will also be carrying any teachers who have used the train to return to the school. Dawlish and Proudfoot will be at Hogsmeade already and will do a search of the train before it leaves." He finally stopped, looking between the two Aurors. "Any questions?"  
>"No, sir." Isabelle shook her head, as did Kingsley.<br>"Excellent." Scrimgeour nodded, before turning his attention to a small pocket watch he had on his desk. "You should get to Kings Cross soon." He looked back at them. "You need only report to me if any serious issues arise. All your contact will be with Headmaster Dumbledore, including orders and feedback, and he will be keeping in regular contact with myself."  
>Both senior Aurors nodded their understanding of this, and stood. When Scrimgeour simply returned their nods, they left his office.<p>

"So was that basically Scrimgeour giving himself less work?" Isabelle asked Kingsley, as soon as they were on their way to Kings Cross.  
>"By informing us we only need to contact Dumbledore?"<br>Isabelle nodded.  
>"I do believe it was." Kingsley chuckled, and Isabelle found herself joining in.<p>

Before long, they were standing on Platform 9 ¾ watching the first of the returning students run through the wall. Isabelle could not help the grin that spread on her face as she watched friendship groups reunite, talking excitedly about their holidays and plans for the coming year. It was easy to spot the new first years, too; their expressions were ones of excitement, mixed with anxiety and a little fear. How well she remembered the days when she was one of them, eager to return to school with Lily.

She was drawn from her reminiscing by a boy that was far more familiar than he should have been, given that she had not seen him for almost 12 years prior to the last few weeks of the summer holidays. Once again, she was struck by how much he resembled his father; the two were virtually identical.

A small nudge from Kingsley reminded her that she was there to work, not to watch Harry. Smiling sheepishly at her colleague, she glanced along the platform with sharp eyes; she was aware of every movement, no matter how small, thanks to the intense level of training she had received from Alastor Moody.

Finally, the last students were boarding the train, and the parents were waving goodbye to their children as the doors shut and the train started to leave. Isabelle and Kingsley watched it go, and, as they turned to head back to the wall, a flash of red hair caught Isabelle's eye.  
>"Molly?" she called out, and to her delight the person turned, her eyes scanning the crowds until she caught sight of Isabelle.<br>"Isabelle!" Molly Weasley grinned as she walked towards the younger woman, embracing her in a hug as she reached her. "It's been too long!" She said, as they parted. Isabelle grimaced.  
>"I apologise for that, Molly, I…"<br>"No, no, dear. I realise the last few years have been anything but easy for you." Molly interrupted, a sympathetic smile crossing her face. "But, it does mean we have a fair bit of catching up to do!"  
>"Absolutely!" Isabelle laughed, glad that her old friend was not offended by her lack of contact. "How about over a mug of butterbeer in <em>The Three Broomsticks<em> next Saturday?"  
>"That sounds wonderful. How does midday suit you?"<br>"That would be fine." Isabelle grinned.  
>"Um, Isabelle?" Kingsley coughed behind her, raising his eyebrows pointedly, to which she gasped.<br>"I'm so sorry, Mol, we're supposed to be flying over with the train to make sure the journey goes smoothly. I'll see you Saturday?"  
>The two women hugged once more before saying their farewells, after which Isabelle followed Kingsley outside and the two Aurors casted concealment charms before mounting their brooms and kicking off into the sky.<p>

"So, you really went all that time without seeing Molly?" Kingsley asked as they flew, his tone somewhat bemused. Isabelle laughed lightly.  
>"Things were difficult, and as you know I had my own way of dealing with them. I realise now that it was not the best way, but at least I can start to make amends with her now."<p>

They fell into a comfortable silence, leaving Isabelle free to reminisce about old times, in particular the days of the _Order of the Phoenix_, which had been set up by Dumbledore to fight Voldemort. They had all been much younger then, only a few years out of school, and she realised now that none of them had really understood the dangers. They thought they did, but looking back they had been far too casual in meetings; it was almost a social gathering as much as it was an army. She distinctly remembered the way the Marauders, Sirius, James, Remus and Peter, had sat around a fireplace in the corner of the meeting room, laughing about their school days and occasionally plotting minor pranks to play on other members of the Order. Meanwhile, Isabelle had been best friends with Lily, Molly and Alice Longbottom, and the four witches had written several columns for _Witch Weekly_, using false aliases that made as much sense to outsiders as those of the Marauders.

"Isabelle." Kingsley's deep voice jolted her out of her thoughts, and she looked across to her friend and colleague, casting him a questioning glance. In response, he looked down and Isabelle followed his gaze, expecting to see the train. Her eyes widened in horror, however, when she realised it was not there. They both looked up and their eyes met, and together they spun their brooms around and began flying quickly back in the direction they had come.

To her relief, Isabelle caught sight of the familiar scarlet train not long after they had turned around. Her relief was short lived, however, when she realised that the train was not moving, and she noticed the fog surrounding it at the same time as she noticed the sudden decline in temperature. She cast a panicked look across at Kingsley, and with the same skill that had made her such a talented seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team all those years ago, she dived towards the train, not even bothering to check if her colleague was following.

Within moments, she was boarding the train in the driver's area. Blinking her eyes to adjust to the darkness, she pulled out her wand and cast her patronus, welcoming the warmth the delicate silver vixen brought with her.  
>"Is everything ok?" Kingsley asked, as he boarded the train from behind her.<br>"The Dementors." The driver said, his voice shaking. "I didn't realise they wanted to search the train, I never would have stopped if I had. The poor students…"  
>"It's not your fault." Kingsley told him, his own patronus of a lynx now standing next to Isabelle's. The two Aurors were about to step into the main body of the train when the lights suddenly flickered back on. From her position by the window, Isabelle watched the Dementors retreat, closing her eyes in an attempt to block out the memories she associated with the vile beings.<br>"We will need to report this to Dumbledore when we arrive." Kingsley muttered to Isabelle, as the train started moving forwards again. "He can take it up with Scrimgeour."  
>Isabelle nodded, opening her mouth to reply when the door of the compartment burst open. She glanced over, and her eyes widened at the sight of the dishevelled man standing in the doorway.<br>"What happened?" he asked the driver, not even noticing the Aurors.  
>"Dementors." Kingsley replied before the driver could open his mouth, and Isabelle resisted the urge to roll her eyes as he stated the obvious. The man's eyes flickered over as he saw the two Aurors, and he seemed to barely refrain from widening his own eyes as he saw Isabelle standing by the window. Kingsley, however, didn't appear to notice this as he continued to speak. "They wanted to search the train; apparently they thought there was a chance Black would be on board."<br>"Are the students alright?" Isabelle asked, and it was impossible to miss the way the man hesitated before responding.  
>"Yes." He said, slowly, and then paused for a moment. "Most of them are pretty shaken up, though."<br>Kingsley nodded, but Isabelle frowned; she knew there was more to it than what he was saying.  
>"Kingsley, I think we should check on them. I'll catch you up in a moment." Kingsley nodded, and left the two alone with the driver, who was now totally oblivious to all but the track ahead of him.<br>"What aren't you telling us, Remus?" Isabelle asked as soon as Kingsley was out of ear shot.  
>"I don't…" He was cut off as Isabelle shot him a frown worthy of her old Head of House, Professor McGonagall. He sighed in defeat. "Harry." He looked away from her. "He was more affected than anyone. He passed out for a while, and when he woke up…" He paused, looking at Isabelle's concerned face. "He said he heard… he heard someone screaming."<br>Any colour left in Isabelle's face after hearing about her godson passing out quickly drained away.  
>"You don't think…" she started quietly, and trailed off as Remus nodded, slowly. She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. "Poor Harry." She whispered, shaking her head. Nobody deserved to hear the dying screams of their parents. Swallowing hard, she opened her eyes again and looked at her old friend. The years had not treated him kindly; he had aged considerably since she had last seen him 12 years ago, but his eyes were still the same, if a little more tired.<br>"So by saying that you would catch up, you really just wanted me to do all the work?" Kingsley said as he re-entered the compartment, a slight smirk on his face. Isabelle laughed a little.  
>"Sorry." She smiled sheepishly, and Kingsley shook his head in amusement. "How are the students?" she asked, and was relieved when he nodded.<br>"In shock, which is understandable, but they all seem to be ok other than that."  
>"That's good. Shall we get back into the air, then?"<br>"I think we should." Kingsley nodded, and the two Aurors gave brief nods to Remus before stepping outside and mounting their brooms.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** very long chapter here :) Worked and reworked a lot! Also, lots of people added this as a favourite/alert after the last update, but I haven't had any reviews since the very first chapter went up :( Sad times! Anyone care to make a little author happy? :D

Read, review (please?) and enjoy :)

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><p>It was dark by the time Hogsmeade came into view, and Isabelle and Kingsley landed on the platform of the station just as the train rounded the final turn.<br>"Any trouble?" They both looked round, to see Dawlish and Proudfoot standing just behind them.  
>"Just Dementors deciding to search the train." Kingsley sighed. Dawlish and Proudfoot responded with raised eyebrows.<br>"Dumbledore's not gonna be happy with that." Dawlish frowned.  
>"Too right." Isabelle nodded.<br>"I guess they just wanted to make sure Black isn't going to try and sneak into Hogwarts. It's all for Harry's safety." Proudfoot put in, and Isabelle had to use every ounce of her self control to stop herself from spitting an angry retort. Thankfully, at that moment, the train pulled into the station and the four Aurors turned to watch the students disembark.

Isabelle was only vaguely aware of Hagrid calling the first years towards him; a flash of messy black hair had grabbed her attention, and her gaze fixed on Harry. He still looked paler than he had before he boarded the train, but other than that he seemed to be ok. He was accompanied by the same two friends he had been with on the last day of the holidays in Diagon Alley, and both seemed concerned for him. Isabelle watched as the three third years climbed inside one of the thestral-pulled carriages, which promptly started moving towards the school. Once they were out of sight, Isabelle finally turned her attention back to the students who were still leaving the train. There was a buzz of conversation, which made it impossible to know exactly what was being said, but Isabelle was sure she caught the word "Dementors" spoken several times. As the students passed, they looked at the Aurors with expressions that were a mix of both fear and relief; fearful of the man they believed to be a mass murderer having escaped, but relieved that the Aurors were there to protect them.

"Right, we'd best get on with our search. Are you both heading up to the castle?" Dawlish asked, to which Isabelle and Kingsley both nodded. "Good luck, then. I would say I hope to see you soon, but really that would only be if Black gets into the castle, and we don't want that." He chuckled slightly, and Isabelle once again had to stop herself from snarling at him. Instead, she simply nodded and bid her colleagues farewell, before her and Kingsley turned and approached the carriage which transported any new teachers up to the castle. Only one person was sitting in it this year; Remus Lupin.

An awkward silence hung in the air as the two Aurors joined the new professor and the carriage started to move towards the school. Isabelle was aware of Kingsley glancing between Remus and herself, clearly wondering why they were both making a point of avoiding each other's eyes when they had always been such good friends. He obviously didn't realise just how far apart the two had fallen since the end of the war.  
>"So, Remus, you're the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?" Kingsley asked, attempting to engage the other two in conversation.<br>"That's right." Remus nodded.  
>"I guess you already know Isabelle and I have been asked to patrol the castle grounds so that Black doesn't sneak in?"<br>"Yes. It's good that Dumbledore is not allowing the Dementors in, but there does need to be extra security." Remus nodded, and Kingsley opened his mouth to reply when he noticed Isabelle glaring at her old friend, her eyes cold and unblinking, and her jaw set. He looked at her questioningly, but she barely took any notice of him as the carriage jolted to a halt outside the castle. Remus was the first of the three to climb out, followed by Kingsley and Isabelle climbed out last. The Defence Against the Dark Arts professor walked ahead to the grand doors that were the school's entrance, but Isabelle felt Kingsley grab her arm just before she passed him.  
>"What is going on with you and Remus?" he asked her. "You seemed fine on the train, but in the carriage…"<br>"The train journey was strictly professional." Isabelle cut him off. Kingsley was startled by the sharpness in her voice, having never been on the receiving end of it before, and her facial expression immediately softened. "I'm sorry, Kingsley." She sighed ever so slightly, shaking her head. "It's just… he's from back _then_."  
>Understanding passed over her friend's face. No more needed to be said; he knew she had cut herself off from almost everyone, he had just never realised that 'everyone' included Remus Lupin.<br>"I'm sorry Isabelle." He said quietly, and she responded with a small, sad smile. Kingsley gave her arm a light, reassuring squeeze and then let go as they proceeded to walk up to the castle in silence. Sometimes, when you have been friends for as many years as they had, words are not necessary to understand each other.

Almost as soon as the two Aurors stepped foot in the entrance hall, they were greeted by Minerva McGonagall. Isabelle kept her eyes down, not sure how to handle this little reunion. She knew the older witch would be disappointed in her for having avoided her all these years, but really Isabelle hadn't known what else to do.  
>"Kingsley. Isabelle." The older woman smiled warmly, but it was one of those smiles that does not quite meet the eyes. "It's good to see you both, although I would have preferred it to be under different circumstances."<br>"Likewise, Minerva." Kingsley nodded, giving the deputy headmistress a brief smile. "Guarding the school against an escaped convict is hardly the best of reasons for a reunion."  
>"Indeed." Minerva agreed, glancing quickly at Isabelle in concern as she did so, perhaps having seen the muscle jump in the younger witch's jaw at the mention of the 'escaped convict'. "I am afraid we must find time to talk later, for I must welcome the first years now." She indicated out to where the youngest students were making their way up the steps. "There are seats prepared at the staff table for the both of you." Her final words were barely out of her mouth before she started walking towards the approaching students.<p>

Isabelle glanced at Kingsley, managing to shoot him the smallest of smiles, before turning to the doors which led into the Great Hall. It was difficult for her to be back here; the last time she had seen Hogwarts, she had been laughing with her best friends. Now, two of them were dead, one of them may as well be dead, she had no idea where the fourth was, and the only one in the school she hardly knew anymore. As if realising how she felt, Kingsley squeezed her arm comfortingly before leading the way through the large doors.

It was exactly how she remembered it. Along four long tables, one for each House, sat students ranging in age from second years to seventh years. At the end of the hall was a fifth table, along which sat the professors. It was this table, in particular three of the people sat behind it, which caught Isabelle's attention as she walked up to it, not even hearing the excited murmurs of the students as they watched the two senior Aurors.

Seated in the centre was Albus Dumbledore. Isabelle had always had the upmost respect for the Headmaster, and if anything it only grew more as she took in his composed posture and the ever-present twinkle in his eyes. How one could stay so calm when the rest of the wizarding world was terrified was beyond her, and yet it had the same reassuring effect on her now as it had done many years ago when she had joined the society known as the Order of the Phoenix.

Further along the table was Remus Lupin. She didn't know how to feel about the man anymore. On the one hand, she hated him for not believing Sirius was innocent, and for even considering that he would try to harm Harry in any way, but she couldn't forget their past, as much as she wanted too. They had been best friends, and those memories would last a lifetime. It saddened her that the man sitting before her was not the man she had once known, and she only hoped that time would bring him back.

Finally, there was Severus Snape. The sour-faced potions teacher caught her eye as she glanced at him, and she was sure she saw a flicker of remorse in his dark eyes before he regained his composure and looked away from her. She, however, continued to look at him. He was so different from the boy she had known when they were both students in this very school, but there was one thing she realised was the same.

She was distracted from her thoughts as she reached one of the two empty seats that had been set for her and Kingsley at the end of the table. She sat down, and immediately she turned to look at the Gryffindor table, her eyes searching for the familiar mess of black hair. She frowned when she couldn't see him; she had definitely seen the trio get off the train and get in one of the carriages, but only one of them, Molly's youngest son, was sitting at their House table. Where were Harry and the girl?

Just as she was wondering this, the doors to the hall swung open once more to reveal the new first year students, all of them sharing the same expressions of excitement mixed with nervousness as the followed the deputy headmistress.

She remembered all too well her own sorting ceremony. Every detail, from her first impressions of the hall to finally being sorted and taking her place at the Gryffindor table where she waited eagerly for Lily to join her was forever etched in her memory, and she couldn't help reliving them as she watched the new students step forwards one at a time to have the Sorting Hat placed upon their heads.

As the stool and the Hat were carried away, the doors opened again and Isabelle smiled in relief as she saw Harry enter, the bushy-haired girl beside him. The whole school watched as the third year students made their way to the Gryffindor table, and Isabelle frowned as she noticed several of the other students whisper and point at Harry as he passed them.

Her attention was taken from her Godson as Dumbledore stood, ready to give the start of term speech.  
>"Welcome!" He began. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises – or even Invisibility Cloaks." Isabelle couldn't help but notice the headmaster glance quickly at Harry as he said this. Was it possible that he had passed James' old cloak to the boy? She smiled at the thought, knowing that James would be proud if his son discovered even half of what the Marauders had.<br>"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses." Dumbledore continued. "I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to our Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors." He paused, allowing the seriousness of his words to sink in, before speaking again. "The Dementors, however, will not be permitted to enter the grounds, and I am pleased that senior Aurors Isabelle Brooke and Kingsley Shacklebolt will be making seeing that the Dementors do not cross the border, as well as providing extra protection for all of you." He gestured to the two Aurors, who nodded briefly at the students. He then continued on to introduce Remus as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and name Hagrid the new Care of Magical Creatures professor, an announcement which was received with much enthusiasm from the students, in particular those at the Gryffindor table. Then the speech was over, and Isabelle smiled at the array of food which suddenly appeared. The feasts of Hogwarts were like nothing else she had ever experienced, and she helped herself to a little of everything as she engaged in conversation with Kingsley and the other professors.

As the food and drink finally cleared, Dumbledore stood once more and dismissed the students. The staff rose too, leaving the hall through one of the side doors, and the Aurors had just started to follow when they were called back by Dumbledore, who indicated that they should follow him. He led the way to his office, and once all three were comfortably seated within, he spoke.  
>"I would like to thank you both for agreeing to this. I do not wish for the Dementors to be any closer to the students than they already are, but Cornelius was most insistent that there must be extra protection within the grounds. I do hope I am not taking you away from any important matters elsewhere?"<br>"Not at all." Isabelle shook her head, and was aware of Kingsley doing the same.  
>"Well, the staff had agreed to assist you in your patrols at night, obviously they will be teaching during the day, so that will lessen your workload." He looked at the two Aurors, who nodded. "I thought we could use this time to arrange the times and places each person will patrol."<p>

Over the next hour or so, the three of them worked out a plan, detailing who would patrol when and where each day. Once satisfied with the rota, Dumbledore created enough copies of the parchment so that each person would have their own copy. There would be a staff meeting the following evening to inform the professors of the schedule, and until then Isabelle and Kingsley would patrol by themselves.  
>"Thank you, again, for helping us this year. Minerva is waiting just outside; she will show you to the chambers which have been prepared for you."<br>"Thank you, Albus." Kingsley nodded, and Isabelle followed his lead as he left the office.

As the headmaster had said, Minerva was waiting for them just outside his office. She led the two Aurors through the corridors, which were devoid of students, and stopped by one of the portraits on the first floor.  
>"These are your chambers, Kingsley. You may set your own password." Minerva informed the Auror, and he bid goodnight to both his colleague and the deputy headmistress.<p>

Whilst Kingsley had been with them, there had been a steady stream of conversation. Now, with just the two women, the only sound was that of their footsteps echoing through the empty corridors. At last, Minerva broke the silence that hung between them.  
>"How are you coping?" Isabelle looked at the older woman, and was met with a frown which indicated that the woman would accept nothing but the truth; a frown which had become all too familiar during Isabelle's years at Hogwarts, and a frown which she herself had used to her advantage when questioning suspects. Knowing there was no point trying to conceal how she really felt, Isabelle sighed before speaking, her eyes cast to the ground and her voice quiet, almost broken.<br>"It's strange." She paused, and her old Head of House was silent, waiting for her to continue. "It's strange knowing he's out there somewhere. It's strange not knowing where he is, or what he's doing."  
>"Perhaps… it is for the best that we do not know where he is." The older witch said, putting her arm around her former student's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. Isabelle stopped walking and turned to face Minerva, her eyes fixed upon those of the latter, and her voice filled with a new strength, yet there was a hint of pleading within both eyes and voice.<br>"I know you believe Sirius is guilty, Minerva, but how can you believe he would betray James like that? How can you believe he would wish to hurt Harry, even after seeing the way he doted on him?"  
>Silence reigned between them once more, both women staring at each other. Finally, Minerva tore her eyes away from the younger witch's.<br>"I don't want to believe it, Isabelle, but…"  
>"Then don't!" Isabelle interrupted. She was no longer speaking to the woman as a former professor, but as her mother's sister. <em>Her Aunt<em>. "Minerva, please. You have to know Sirius would die before betraying his friends!"  
>"There is only your word, Isabelle!"<br>"And my word counts for nothing, does it?"  
>"Of course not! But Sirius is the last person known to be the Potters' secret keeper!"<br>"They swapped! At the last minute, they swapped! Peter was made secret keeper, Minerva! They thought it would be less obvious!"  
>"Isabelle…" Minerva started, in an attempt to comfort the younger woman, but Isabelle just turned away, shaking her head.<p>

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Isabelle not wanting to say anything and Minerva not sure what to say. At last, they stopped outside another portrait.  
>"You can set your own password." Minerva said, quietly. Isabelle nodded, and the older witch sighed. "I'm sorry, Isabelle. It's just…"<br>"You're not the only one." Isabelle shook her head as she cut her off. "Even Remus thinks he's guilty." She attempted a small smile. "I can only hope that he will be given a trial. If we find him, that is."  
>"I hope so too. I may not believe he is innocent, but Merlin I want to." She, too, smiled slightly. "Goodnight, Isabelle."<br>"Goodnight, Minerva."

Once she was left alone, Isabelle turned to the portrait, which was of a kindly looking old woman dressed in a regal purple gown with glasses sitting on a large chair, her hands clasped around a book she held on her lap. The woman smiled in welcoming.  
>"Isabelle Brooke, yes?"<br>"Yes."  
>"Lovely to meet you dear. My name is Caroline. Now, have you a password in mind?"<br>"Padfoot." It was the first thing that came into her head.  
>"Very well. Let me know if you ever wish to change it." Caroline smiled, before swinging open and allowing Isabelle to enter her chambers.<p>

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><p><strong>AN 2** just wanted to make a quick note about making Minerva Isabelle's Aunt. I know in canon Minerva has 2 brothers but she's always been one of my most favourite characters so wanted to make her my OC's aunt, but obviously if one of Minerva's brothers was the father then Isabelle would have the McGonagall last name. So yeah one of those brothers is a sister :)


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